The Portland daily press., 1887-02-23
MUCH DIssENsioN.
Three Reports from the Labor Com
mlttee.
Three Bills Instead of Two to be
Fought over.
Mr.. Bryant of PlttsfIeid Brings For
ward Late But Long Bill.
A Reception Given by Governor Bod
well at the State House.
The Investigation Regarding the Out
break Of tuberculosis.
Several Public and Special Acts APP
proved by the Governor.
Several Public and Special Acts APP
proved by the Governor.
Especial TO the Press.

SWh PNAPACAit1s AS Wdo Oulilutu III 16oLtT-
days despatch to the PRESS the Looney bill
has been considerably changed. 1t will be
the majority report and win be signed by
Senators Lnmbert and Dunnell, and Messrs.
Looney, Harper, Lyons and Roberts. The
Heath bill will be signed by Senator Gushee
and Representative Burns. This bill has
also been greatly changed and greatly
strengthened. In order to understand the
effect of these changes, it may be well to il
lustrate the main points of difference be-
tween the Looney and Heath bills, both be-
lore and since recommtment, bearing in
bind that both apply only ito manufacturing
and mechanical establishment and make the
length OF the working day ten hours.
LooNEY BILL AS FIRST REPORTED.
l. IL applies to women and to minors under IS
years OF age, but not to men.
2. No child under IL years of age shall work at
g.. No child over IL and under 15 years shall
M,ar WORK unless ne has previously attended school
4. There may be contract for weeks notice
~ meas, case the employe wants to leave or the en-
pioyer wants him TO.
governor.
6. Penalties ranging from 500 to $50.
HEATH BILL-As FIRST REPORTED.
|. II applies to all persons, men, women and
3. NO child under fifteen years Of age shall work
8. No penalty shall be required by corporation
for failure of employe TO give notice of intention
al damage.
4. The labor commission shall be elected by the
people, -
These were the main and essential proyis-
IONS OF tho two bills before the grand debate
OF last week resulted in their re-cOmmitment
AS they are to be reported back from the
H0mmlffQa a firna aas -.
are outlined as follows, changes being indi-
Gated by italics:
LooNEY BILL-As AGAIN TO BE REPORTED,
l. 1t applies TO women and minors under eigh-
cen years-and also to men aclo are not thereby
auoTk as long as they please.
ian and q 8 There is no change in these points re-
4. In case Of inefficient or disorderly conduct no
notsce 0f discharge shall be required.
o. re duties Of the commissioner Of labor shall
re e petJSrcsea W ~ te deputy Of the chief Of the Bss
dollars. '-oA. '''S 20 '"e'"v5''e
HEATH BILL1-As AGAIN TO BE REPORTED.
!. 1t applies to all persons, men, women and
minors, ont Guol0s men and a0omen to make a GER
tdtn CAREFULLY guarded contract to ,cork addition
O. No child under t,uelve years shall work at all.
and no child under fifteen gears a0te1a the public
ScsoosS anS z gs Tsy essyor tSscm are tn session
new draft. '
The most radical change in the Heath bill
Is In that part which allowsmen and women
20 contract to work more th4h the legal ten
hours. 1t has been great study with Mr..
deatn 10 ma some means of making his bill
more flexible without destroying its force.
TO Senator Gushee he attributes suggestion
which led him to draft a provision which en-
bodies principle novel to labor legislation
IN TINS country. 1t has been thought that to
allow the laborer to contract to work more
than ten hours, in case of a rush of work.
would virtually defeat the purposes of ten,
hour Dill, since the employer would have the
power power 70 I9rce MS men or women to long
hours on plea OF a rush of work continually.
30 MT; Heath's bill proposes to remedy this
difficulty by this action.
III any person of the age of 21 years and n
" %afGS f epGyea in IN laberg under the schedule
SO employed, by an Independent and subsequent
contract agree to labor extra hours beyond the
additional compensation therefor the orisinaI
contract then and thereafter remaining in force.
and such independent and subsequent agreement
is made in good faith and with no intent to eyade
the provisions of this act and the labor performed
thereuhocr during any consecutive three months
snall De performed upon not more than thirty
any or allof said thirty days shah not be deemed
age Of 18 years or upwards may make the con-
tracts authorized by this section with the consent
emancipated. then by himself.
The Heath bill will be signed by Messrs.
Gushee and Burns. This leaves Messrs.
Bryant and Jewett who have signed neither
bill: Mr.. Jewett has been away and his in
tentions are not known. But Mr.. Bryant will
sign neither report. He will report a bill of
his own. This Bryant bill, which is already.
has promise of considerable support, is en-
tlrely different from either of the. other two.
In 1t the bills for the 10-hour day and the
bureau OF labor statistics have been merged;
some OF the provisions of the Looney and
Heath bills also are side by side in it. There
would be created by it a commissioner of in
dustrlal statistics and labor, to be appointed
$1,000 yearly with the power to expend $500
yearly in his work. He would collect statis-
| tics, see to the enforcement of the ten-hour
law, and even investigate difficulties be-
! OF the ten-hour part Of the bill which relate
| to children under 10 and II years are like the
! provisions of the Looney bill. The penalties
for violation of the Bryant bill are not less
| than $40 nor more than $50. The section
relating to notice of intention to leave is
| practically the same as the similar section
| in the new draft of the Looney bill. In re-
| gard to the length Of time of employment of
| persons, the important part of any labor
bill, the Bryant bill takes this position, as
defined by this section
Ten hours Of actual labor are legal days,
work and no person shall be employed in laboring
IN any manufacturing or mechanical business or
| establishment in this State more than ten hours
IN any one day; provided, however, that such per-
son not minor under sixteen years Of age, may
| longer time for such additional compensation as
| may be agreed upon between employer md EN-
| ploye, and provided further that a different ap-
pertionment OF the hours of labor per day NAV be
made as to minors under sixteen wears OF age but
shall never exceed sixty hours in any one Week
The intent of this section of the Bryant
| bill is similar to the intent of the more elab-
crate section Of the Heath bill The object
OF each is TO give to both men and women
the right to contract to work more than
| ten hours
Mr.. Bryant and his friends are somewhat
puzzled TO know how to name their measure
"a ~ tne House. They cannot very well call it
tne majority report, and the Heath bill has
pre-empted the title to minority report" so
bill no 'io Diy"n'
Today, from eleven to one O'Clock Gov.
Bodwell held public reception at the State
House and the Senate met at o'clock and
hurried through their business, postponing
most OF the important assignments until to-
morrow. The State House was decorated
with bunting and banners in the rotunda
the stairways on the executive side, and in
the executive chambers. Governor Bodwell
took his stand in the Governors private
room, his staff in full uniform in line at his
right. Speaker Littlefeld and Attorney
General Baker assisted, introducing the peo-
pie who filed up the stairway, through the
out through the Council Chamber. An
orchestra led by Prof. Pullen of Augusta.
furnished music for the occasion. In spite
of the snow storm great many people were